I've been trying to buy more sustainably for about two years. I want to be honest about how that's been going: inconsistently, and with a lot of frustration.
The problem isn't the intention. The problem is that sustainable fashion, in my experience, has often meant choosing between looking good and feeling good about what I'm wearing. The eco-friendly options I kept finding were either beautifully made but deeply boring — lots of undyed linen in shapes that didn't suit me — or they were stylish but the sustainability credentials didn't hold up to scrutiny. I'd read the label, find that "sustainable" meant one recycled button on an otherwise conventional garment, and put it back.
I'd almost given up on finding something that genuinely ticked both boxes when I found the Yumi Navy Recycled Floral Ruched Midi Dress. Made from 100% recycled polyester, properly designed, and — crucially — something I actually wanted to wear. That combination had been harder to find than it should be.
What I Was Looking For
I work in a creative industry. My wardrobe needs to cover a range of occasions — client meetings, studio days, social events, the occasional work trip. I'd been trying to reduce the number of things I bought by buying better things that worked across more contexts. The ideal piece would be something I could wear to a meeting on a Tuesday and to a friend's birthday dinner on a Saturday without it looking out of place at either.
I'd also made a commitment to myself to prioritise recycled or sustainably sourced materials where I could find them without sacrificing quality or style. That commitment had been tested repeatedly by the reality of what was actually available.
The Yumi dress appeared in my search results and I almost scrolled past it. Then I looked more carefully at the details.
Why This Dress Specifically
The Yumi Navy Recycled Floral Ruched Midi Dress With Puff Sleeves stood out for several reasons that I hadn't found in combination before:
- The material is genuinely recycled. 100% recycled polyester, not a blend, not a token percentage. That matters to me. Recycled polyester uses significantly less energy and water than virgin polyester and diverts plastic from landfill. It's not a perfect solution — no synthetic fabric is — but it's a meaningful improvement.
- The ruched bodice. Ruching is one of those design details that does a lot of work. It creates texture and visual interest, it's inherently flattering because it draws the eye to the waist, and it accommodates a range of body shapes in a way that more structured bodices don't. I've been a fan of ruched styles for years.
- The puff sleeves. Not the exaggerated, costume-y puff sleeves that were everywhere a couple of years ago — these are proportionate and elegant. They add a sense of occasion without making the dress feel overdressed for everyday wear.
- The hemline border. The floral print runs across the whole dress, but there's a distinct border at the hem that gives the dress a considered, finished quality. It's a detail that elevates the whole piece.
- The navy base. Navy is one of the most versatile colours in a wardrobe. It works with almost everything, photographs well in any light, and doesn't date the way trend colours do.
When It Arrived
My first concern with recycled polyester is always the feel. Virgin polyester can be unpleasant against the skin — slightly scratchy, prone to static, not particularly breathable. Recycled polyester can be the same, or it can be significantly better depending on how it's processed and woven.
This fabric is lightweight and soft. Not cotton-soft, but genuinely comfortable — the kind of fabric that drapes well and moves with you rather than against you. I wore it for a full day without once thinking about the fabric, which is the test I apply to everything.
The ruched bodice fitted well straight out of the packaging. The puff sleeves sat correctly without any adjustment. The hemline fell at a length that worked with both heeled sandals and flat trainers, which matters for a dress I want to wear across different contexts.
I wore it to a client presentation that afternoon. Three people commented on it. One asked if it was new. I said yes. Nobody asked if it was sustainable, which is fine — the point is that it looked good, not that it announced its credentials.
Four Months of Regular Wear
I've now had this dress for four months. It's been worn more than anything else I've bought this year. A few things I've noticed:
- It washes well. Machine washable, and after multiple washes it looks exactly as it did when it arrived. No colour fade, no change in the way the fabric drapes, no loss of shape in the ruching.
- The puff sleeves have held their shape. Structured sleeves can collapse or distort after washing. These haven't. They still sit correctly after every wash.
- It works across more contexts than I expected. I've worn it to client meetings, to a gallery opening, to a birthday dinner, to a Sunday market, and on a work trip where I needed one dress that could do everything. It worked for all of them.
- The hemline border photographs beautifully. This sounds like a vanity point, but in a world where most social occasions involve photographs, a dress that looks good in pictures is a practical consideration. The border adds visual interest at the hem that reads well in images.
The Sustainability Question
I want to be honest about this, because I think it's important. Recycled polyester is better than virgin polyester, but it's not a perfect solution. It still sheds microplastics when washed. It's still a synthetic fabric. Buying less and buying better is more sustainable than buying recycled versions of things you don't need.
But I needed a dress. I was going to buy one. Given that, choosing one made from recycled materials, from a brand that's made a commitment to sustainable production, is a meaningful choice. And the fact that I've worn this dress more than anything else I've bought this year means the per-wear environmental cost is lower than it would be for something I wore twice and forgot about.
That's the calculation I make. A dress I love and wear constantly is more sustainable than a dress I bought with good intentions and stopped reaching for.
Where to Find It
The Yumi Navy Recycled Floral Ruched Midi Dress With Puff Sleeves is available directly from the store. You'll find it in our Dresses collection, within the broader Clothing range and our Apparel & Accessories department. Everything is also browsable in the full catalogue.
Sustainable fashion that you actually want to wear is harder to find than it should be. When you find it, it's worth holding onto.
— Priya Nair, creative director and imperfect but committed sustainable shopper
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